Opponents of cannabis like to point out the risk of smoking cannabis, especially satavia strains which are much more psychedelic and in some cases can make you much more paranoid. After all, you are essentially turning up the volume on cannaboid receptors. It’s what gives the vivid and rich texture to the music, makes the waterfalls and trees glisten so much.

I think the psychedelic experience is worthwhile but I concede that paranoia is a very dangerous thing. Good cannabis doesn’t put you to sleep or make you focus on your problems but instead puts a shine on the richness of the world. You have to know what you are smoking and what it will do to you. Critical Mass wasn’t for me as it fed my fears I live with every day but Tropical Skittlez really made me find my Zen and take in the wilderness around me.

I’ve been reading a lot about Cannabis and the research on what makes a pleasant experience and what the actual risks are. Certainly there are well documented cases of people who succumb to schizophrenia after smoking cannabis, sometimes weeks or months later. Often it’s blamed on stronger cannabis or concentrates. Most modern cannabis, especially satavia strains are strong. Maybe it is and you have to be careful like everything in life.

The link though is not as clear as it might be. Do people prone schizophrenia self-medicate on cannabis or does it actually cause the often lifetime debilitating disease? I’m in my early to mid 40s now so I’m beyond the peak years of risk of developing schizophrenia but as a single adult, an largely independent person with a relatively small friends circle who spends a lot of time alone, I know I’m at higher risk of a psychiatric break. Plus I already have anxiety problems and have been known to have nervous breakdowns under stress, mostly in private.

Still I’m being careful. Outside of Critical Mass stain, things have generally been good experiences though I definitely prefer Satavia leaning stains over the Indica strains. You might think the psychedelic nature is more at risk then more relaxing strains but I find the beauty and richness of psychedelia puts my mind much more at ease then how Indica leaves me trapped in the world, locked down to the hammock. Maybe these trips on vacation in the wilderness are dangerous but I actually like what it’s doing to my mind, in many ways making me a richer person.